​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​By-law and Enforcement Frequently Asked Questions

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Animal Control - By-laws and Complaints

How do I contact Animal Control?

​If you wish to speak to an Animal Control Officer about a lost or found pet, or to report a complaint such as barking, off-leash dogs, or dog bites, you can contact our service provider, K9 Animal Control, directly at their 24-hour toll-free number: 1-855-898-8605.

If you have a general question and/or wish to speak to a By-law Enforcement Officer you can contact the Town's Administration Office at 905-775-5366 - the office is open Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm.

Who do I call if I've been bitten by an animal?

If you have been bitten by a dog, cat or wildlife, please contact one of the following:

K9 Animal Control Services can be contacted 24/7 at 1-855-898-8605

for a serious attack, please contact South Simcoe Police at 905-775-5311​

If a victim's skin is broken, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit must also be contacted at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520.​​

I have witnessed someone violating an animal-related by-law (such as a dog off-leash on public property or failing to clean up after a dog). What can I do?

Animal Control Officers do patrol to spot by-law violations, but can't be everywhere at once. If you witness an infraction, you can call the Town's By-law Enforcement Hotline at 905-775-5366 extension 1701 and your message will be relayed to all Enforcement Officers on duty. The more information you can supply, the more able officers will be to take action - for instance, the type or appearance of the dog and its owner, time of day the offience occurs (if a regular occurrence) and ideally a name and address.

What can I do about someone else's cat that is frequently on my property?

BWG does not licence cats, and cats are permitted to roam on public property. If a cat is on your (private) property habitually or for a long period, please contact Animal Control at 1-855-898-8605. They will remove sick, injured or feral cats, and can provide traps if necessary to catch cats that do not belong on your property. If you can identify the owner of the pet, Animal Control will work to resolve the situation with the owner.​

Animal Control - Licensing

​​What kind of animals do you license?

BWG only licenses dogs. Every dog owner in BWG must obtain a license for each dog they own by January 31 of every year. You will receive a tag for each licensed dog, which must be worn on the dog's collar. Beginning with 2016 tags, the toll-free Animal Control number will be printed on all tags.

The Town of BWG Enforcement Division will issue tickets to owners of dogs found to be without valid tags.

How much is a dog licence/tag?

- Intact: $35

- Spayed or neutered: $30

- Dangerous or restricted breeds: $55

- Replacement tags: $5

How do I get a licence/tag?

You may purchase a licence and obtain a tag at the BWG Public Library or at the Town Administration Office at 100 Dissette St., Units 7&8, open Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm. Tags may also be purchased from Animal Control officers or at K9 located at 6311 12th Line, Alliston.

The Town is currently investigating additional locations for licence/tag purchase to be rolled out in Fall 2015.

How many dogs am I allowed to have?

A maximum of three dogs are permitted per residential unit.

What if I only have my dog for part of the year?

The fee is per licence and is not pro-rated based on how long you own the pet.

Why do I need a licence/tag? My dog has a microchip.

Purchasing a licence does more than help us find your pet if it is lost. Microchipping your animal is a good precaution but cannot replace a tag.

Licensing fees fund all animal control activities, such as retrieving and caring for lost/stray dogs and cats, pet adoption services, enforcing pet-related by-laws, and the requirements of a licence help ensure that the dogs that your dog may interact with have up-to-date vaccinations. Animal Control also maintains a Facebook page where they post photos of lost and found animals to help reunite them with their owners.

If an animal is found, the tag allows them to be immediately identified to Animal Control, who can check their database and contact the owner without having to take the animal to a vet or shelter for the chip to be read. Microchips are not always activated and in some cases may not be found or properly read. The combination of a tag and microchip are your pets best defense.

Animal Control - Wildlife

Does the Town help get rid of wildlife like geese, raccoons or coyotes?

Wild animals are under the purview of the provincial Ministry of Natural Resources; therefore, the Town does not currently provide s​ervices related to wildlife on private property.

Property owners should contact a wildlife control or removal company at their own expense to have the wildlife removed. We can help refer you to a service provider, or you can consult the internet or local yellow pages for further information.​

For more information or to discuss ongoing concerns, you can also contact the Ministry of Natural Resources at 705-725-7500

What do I do if my livestock have been injured or killed by a wild animal?

The Town represents the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for the reporting of the loss or injured livestock due to predators such wolves and coyotes. Please contact the Town within 48 hours of discovering the killed or injured livestock. The Town has appointed a Livestock Valuer who will assist with livestock evaluations and the Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program.

For evaluations, please contact: Lawrence Hawton at 905-729-2150​​

Clean Yards and Property Standards

What are the requirements for keeping yards and properties in good shape?

The Town of BWG's Property Standards By-law establishes minimum standards for the maintenance and occupancy of all property in BWG. It covers a long list of factors, including fences, roofs, ​overcrowding, etc. In addition, the Clean Yards By-law​ sets standards for things like grass height, weed control, garbage and debris, compost piles, etc.​​

What can I do if I am concerned about the maintenance of a property in my area?

Please contact the Enforcement Division using the contact information on the right side of this page and provide the following:

​​Address of the property

List of maintenance issues you feel do not comply with the by-law

Your name, address and telephone number to contact regarding concerns

​I live in a rental unit and my landlord is not maintaining the unit/property, what do I do?

If your landlord has not address the issue within a reasonable time period and the problem is related t​o an issue covered by our by-laws, you may submit a formal request for a Property Standards Officer to conduct an inspection. Please include the following information in your correspondence to the address or e-mail listed on the right side of this page: